Door locking and releasing device.



W. L. CONWELL.

DOOR LOCKING AND RELEASING DEVICE.

APPLIGATION FILED 00T. 12, 1914| 1,125,066. Patented 12111.19, 1915.

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THE NoRR/S PETERS CO., PHOTO-LITNO. WASHING rDN. D. C,

. W. L. CONWELL.

DOOR LOOKING AND DELEASING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED OOT.12,1914. l

Patented. Jan. 19, 1915.

s SHEETS-SHEET 2.

TORNEY THE MORRIS PETERS co.. PHOTOALITHO.. WASHING rON, D. C.

W. L. GONWELL. DooD LOCKING AND DBLEASING DEVICE.

A IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 0T. 111111 4. 1,125,065, Patented Jan.19,1915.

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WITNESSES v 7% my@ CO @By/M MM. 1/ M y ATTORNEY WALTER L. CONWELL, OFUPPER MONTfLl-QR, NEW-ERSEY.

DOOR LOCKING AND RELEASE-NC- DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 19, 1915.

Application filed October 12, 1914. Serial No. 866,222.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that i, VALTER L. CoNwnLL, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Upper Montclair, in thecounty of Essex and State of New Jersey, have made and invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Door Locking and Releasing Devices, ofwhich the following is a specification.'

My invention relates to an improvement in door locking and releasingdevices, and more particularly designed for use in connection with trapdoors for vestibule cars.

As is well known, it frequently happens that, by reason of theaccumulation of dirt, ice and snow, and other foreign material, thespring or springs, utilized for raising or opening the trap door, whenreleased from the catch or lock, fail in their functions, the doorfailing to open unless some force, other than the tension of the springor springs, is applied thereto. To overcome this objection, I havedesigned a lock which, by a partial rotation of the handle, releases thedoor therefrom, and which, if the tension on the spring fails to raiseor open it, by a further partial rotation of the handle, slightly liftsor forces upwardly the free end thereof', thus permitting the spring orsprings to completely raise or open it. In other words, the lock is soconstructed and arranged that if the door fails to raise4 or open uponbeing released from the catch,

it, the loclr, will at once force it open, to ber completely raised orlifted by the spring employed for that purpose.

A further object of my invention is to construct a lock of the characterdescribed which shall consist of but few parts, cheap to manufacture,and easily and readily assembled, and with these and other ends in view,consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations ofparts as `will be hereinafter fully described and as indicated by thearrow, the locking detent and opening lever being shown in their normalpositions to retain the trap door in its closed position. Fig. 4L- is aview similar to that shown in Fig. 2, the several parts, however, beingshown in their relative positions when the door is released from thelocking detent, this view being taken on theline 4 4- of Fig. 5. f Fig.5 is a sectional viewtalren on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 isy a viewsimilar to that shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the parts, however, being shownin their relative positions at the time that the opening lever is forcedbelow the free end of the trap door to raise or lift the same, this Viewbeing taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 7, and Fig. 7 is a sectional viewtaken on the 'line 7 7 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of thelever for raising or lifting the free end of the trap door, and which lterm the door lift, and Fig. 8a a sectional view takenthe end finish ofthe car body, and 16 thev end finish of the vestibule, the car bodyhaving secured thereto a bracket 17 to which the trap door 1S is hinged,the spring-actuated hinge being inclosed within the casing 19 whereby toautomatically lift or raise the door to its open position when the freeend thereof is released from the lock or catch, the free end of saiddoor resting upon the buder wing plate 2() secured to the `buffer wings21, as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. As is well known, thistrap door 18, when lowered or closed, forms a part of the car platform,doors 22being employed to inclose the same to form a complete vestibule.

To the plate 20 is secured the box or casing of my improved device, thisboXor casing comprising a body 23, Fig.; 10, consisting of the verticalsides 24:, and the rear vertical plate 25, these sides being flangedoutwardly at their lower edges as illustrated at 26. The forward end ofthis casing is contracted in its width in'order that the sides 211 mayact as guides for the movable parts of the device as hereinafterdescribed. This body 23 is provided with a horizontal partition plate26a dividing the same into upper and lower compartments, the plate 26abeing formed with a hole or opening 27 through which extends thereleasing rod hereinafter referred to. To the upper side of the body issecured a cover or top plate 28, and to the under side a bottom plate29, these plates being of proper shape or outline to conform to that ofthe body, and are also formed with holes or openings 30 for the passageof screws to secure them to the vertical sides 21. Within the body ofthe casing, and upon the partition plate 26, rests the latch 31, theforward end 32 of which is wedge-shape and provided with a shoulder 33,which end 32, when the latch is in its normal position as illustrated inFigs 1, 2 and 3, extends out beyond the casing and overlies and bearsupon the free end of the door 18 for the purpose of retain ing thelatter in its lowered or closed position'. The rear end of the latch 31is enlarged to nicely lit within the enlarged portion of the casing andis provided with a cam opening 34 in which is located, and operates, acam 35, the latter being secured to the vertical releasing rod 3G, whichrod is supported in a bracket 37 secured to the end finish 16 of thevestibule, and, passing down through the openings in the casing, issupported in the lower end of the buffer wing 38, the lower end of therod being provided with a handle 39 in order that the device may beoperated from below, and also with a handle 410 near its upper end topermit the lock to be operated from Within the vestibule. The cam 35,when in its normal position as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, permits ofthe latch 31 to project out beyond the casing and to rest upon the freeend of the trap door 18; when, however, the releasing rod 36 is rotated,the cam will also be rotated, and, bearing on the rear end of the latch31, forces the same backwardly to the position asillustrated in Figs. dand 5, the latch being guided in its movement by the vertical sides 24of the body of the casing. l/Vhen the parts are in this position, itwill be seen that the trap door 18 is free to be raised or lifted by thespring hinge, the rear end of the latch being forced backwardly into therear end of the casing, and the forward end of the latch withdrawn fromthe upper edge of the trap door 18, the shoulder 33 on the forward endof the latch striking or coming into close proximity to the forward endof the partition plate 26a, all as clearly illustrated in Figs. 4t and 7of the drawings.

On the bottom plate 29 of the casing rests an opening lever a1, theforward end L13 of which is thickened and slides upon the plate 20,:thisforward end of the lever being wedge-shape and formed with the shoulder42, which, when the lever is moved backwardly in its normal position,strikes against, or comes in close proximity to,

the forward end of the bottom plate 29 as clearly illustrated in sectionin Fig. 3, said forward end being provided with the inclined face 41aadapted, as hereinafter described, to enter between the free end of thedoor 18 and the buffer wing plate 20, to slightly raise or lift thedoor, as illustrated in Fig. T. The rear end of this opening lever 41 isformed with a bent arm e5 which rests within the body of the casing 23and upon the bottom plate 29 below the partition plate 26, the body ofthe lever a1 being of such width as to be nicely contained between thesides 2st of the casing, which sides act as a guide in the reciprocatingmovements of the lever. Fitting between the arm 45 and body of thisopening lever L t1 is a cam 46, which, like the cam for operating thelatch 31, is secured tightly to a squared portion of the releasing rod36. lllhen the parts are in their normal positions as illustrated, forinstance, in Figs. t?. and 3, the opening lever 4:1 occupies such aposition as not to engage or interfere with the trap door 18. When thereleasing rod 3G, however, is rotated either by the handle 39 or handle4:0, this opening lever is moved forwardly from the position asillustrated in sectionin Fig. 3 to that illustrated in section in Fig.T, the wedge-shape end L13 of the lever, entering between the free endof the door 18 and the buffer wing plate 20, slightly lifting the doorin order that it may be further lifted and opened by the lifting springin the casing 19. The shape of the cam 46, however, is such that whenpartially turning the releasing rod 36, the latch 31 will be withdrawnfrom engage` nient with the door 18, that is, from the position asillustrated in Fig. 3 to the position as illustrated in Fig. 5, nomovement of the opening lever taking place up to that time. Should thedoor, however, fail to lift or open, the releasing rod 36 is furtherturned until the cam 4G nieves from the position as illustrated in Figs.4t and 5 to the positions as illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, the cam fl-.Gmoving out of contact with the arm 145 into Contact with the rear end ofthe body of the opening lever 11, thus forcing said lever forwardly intothe position as illust-rated in Fig. 7. 1n other words, by a partialrotation of the releasing rod, the .latch 31 is withdrawn fromengagement with the door 18; should the door fail to open, the rod 36 isfurther turned, causing the opening lever 41 to enter between the lowerforward edge of said door and the plate 20 upon which it rests, thusgiving to said door an initial lift. Formed on, or secured to, thebracket 37 isa barrel or cylindrical casing 4t?, Fig'. 8a, A throughwhichpasses the releasing rod 36, and in which casing, and around therod 36, is contained a coilspring 48,]one end of the spring beingsecured into the upper end of the stationary casing 47, the lower' endof the spring being secured in the sleeve 49 upon which the handle 40 issecured or formed, and which sleeve is tightly secured to the rod 36,the tension of the spring 48 being such that after the releasing rod 36has been rotated to release the trap door, as before described, and thepressure or force on the rod 36 relieved, said spring will rotate thereleasing rod in the opposite direction and return the parts to theirnormal positions as illustrated in Figs. land 2. TWhen the door islowered, the free edge thereof, striking upon the inclined face 32 ofthe latch 31, will force the same rearwardly, permitting the door to beentirely closed, and the latch subsequently forced forwardly by reasonof the tension of said spring 48.

From the foregoing it will be understood that the invention isexceedingly simple in construction, consists of but few parts easily andreadily assembled, and that the same can be manufactured at a smallcost. Furthermore, that it is exceedingly simple to manipulate, apartial rotation only of the releasing rod being necessary to withdrawthe latch from engagement with the door to permit it to be raised orlifted; that should the saine bind or fail to lift by reason of theaccumulation of foreign material in the cracks around the door, afurther partial rotation of the releasing rod will be sufficient to freeit and thus permit the spring to automatically raise it to its openposition.

l/Vhat I claim is l. A door lock comprising a casing, a latch and anopening lever contained within said casing, said latch and leverprovided with cam engageable ends, a releasing rod extending throughsaid casing and provided, with cams within said casingvengaging saidlatch and lever cam engageable portions and adapted to positivelyadvance and retract the same, and means carried by said releasing rodexternal of said casing providing for its manual rotation.

2. A lock for use with a trap door comprising a casing and provided withcam engageable portions, a latch and opening lever contained within saidcasing, a releasing rod having cams thereon and engaging said latch andlever cam engageable portions and adapted to positively advance andretract the same for their engagement with and disengagement from thesaid trap door.

3. A lock for use with a trap door comprising a casing, a latchcontained within said casing, a releasing'rod provided with a camengaging said latch, an opening lever contained within said casing, acam on said rod engaging said lever, said cams adapted to positivelyadvance and retract said releasing rod and opening lever, and means forrotating said rod.

4. A lock of the character'described comprising. a casing, areciprocating latch contained Within said casing, a releasing rodpassing through said casing and provided with a cam engaging said latch,an opening lever, a cam on said releasing rod and engaging with saidlever, and` means for 'rotating said rod and cams for operating saidlatch and lever. f

5. A lock of the character described comprising a casing, a rotatablereleasing rod passing through said casing, an opening lever containedwithin said casing, a cam on said releasing rod and engaging said lever,a superimposed latch contained within said casing, a cam on said rod andengaging said latch, and means for rotating said releasing rod and saidcams whereby to operate said latch and lever. y

6. A lock for use with a trap door comprising casing, a rotatablereleasing rod passing through said casing, a latch contained within saidcasing and normally engaging the trap door, an opening lever providedwith a wedge-shape forward end and contained within said casing, cams onsaid. releasing rod and adapted to engage said latch and lever whereby,after said latch is moved rearwardly, said releasing lever will be movedforwardly.

7. A lock of the character described comprising a casing, a latchcontained within said casing and normally projecting fory said latch andlever at the rear ends thereof and adapted to move said latchrearwardly, and said opening lever forwardly.

8. A lock for use with a trap door comprising a casing, a latchcontained within said casing and having its forward end normallyengaging said door, an opening lever contained within said casing andnormally out of engagement with said door, a releasing rod passingthrough said casing and provided with cams within said casing andengaging said latch and lever whereby, when said rod and cams arerotated, said latch will be withdrawn from engagement with said door andthe opening lever entered below said door.

9. A lock for use with a trap door oomprising a casing, the bottom wallof said casing forwardly projected and adapted to receive the edge `ofsaid trap door thereon,

prising zt casing, the bottom Well of said casing forwardly projectedand adapted to receive the edge of said trap door thereon, an openinglever disposed Within said casing provided With u Wedge-shaped end, saidopening levell resting upon the bottoni Wall of said casing, and meansengaging said opening lever adapted to force the saine between thebottom Wall of said casing and the edge oit said trap door, and a latchcarried by Said casing and adapted to engage and lock in e closedposition said trap door.

l1. A lock for use With a trap door comprising a casing with alongitudinally eX- tending partition, an opening lever and a latchslidably mounted Within the compari? ments Within said casing as deinedby said partition and means engaging said opening lever and latchadapted to actuute the suine.

Signed at New York, borough of Manhattan, in the count57 or" New Yorkand Stute of New York, this 8th day of October, A. D. 1911i.

G. H. ORD.

Uopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of atents.

Washington, D. C.

